Jacqueline Josephine Rallis

Jacqueline J. Rallis, age 85, died at her home on August 4, 2020.

She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on July 13, 1935, to the late Jack and Rose (Komarek) Burton. Jacquie was both a nurse and a teacher. She was known to many at St. Albert as “Grandma Jacquie” and she was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

There is a very good chance that your connection to Jacquie Rallis is completely different than the person sitting or standing in front of you. Maybe you served alongside her as a fellow nurse, assisting with surgeries or touting the honor of being a part of the “first heart team.” Maybe you had the pleasure of learning from her, whether she was your teacher, CPR instructor, or prayer group leader. Maybe she let you hold an ostrich egg or feel a piece of leopard fur during her 20-year stint as a docent at the Henry Doorly Zoo. Maybe she helped you discover Jesus and helped pave your way into the Catholic Church through RCIA. Maybe you fit one of these descriptions, but most likely you know Jacquie Rallis because she was a friend, relative, confidant, mentor, or- if you happened to have been so lucky- you know Jacquie Rallis because she was your grandmother. Maybe she wasn’t your “actual” grandma like she was to myself and my cousins Chance, Blake, and Sam. Maybe you didn’t bring over a new toy right away to show her before anyone else, or ride on the back of her motorized cart throughout the store, or play board games with her for hours, or help her set up yet another new piece of technology that she ordered via QVC. Maybe you didn’t have these experiences, but I can bet that you have called her “Grandma Jacquie.” Grandma Jacquie served as a grandmother to hundreds of children and adults alike. She spent years volunteering at St. Albert, and you’d have a hard time finding a student, parent, or staff member in the St. Albert community that didn’t call her Grandma Jacquie. Jacquie Rallis played many roles, wore many hats, and touched many lives. She was a true “Jacquie”-of-all-trades. However she was able to impact your life, she did it with an unmatched willingness to serve, a generous heart, a contagious laugh, and a deep personal connection. It is often said during times like this, but I don’t know if this has ever been more true: there will never be another Grandma Jacquie.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Sue Thomssen and Shirley Burton.

Jacquie is survived by her husband of 61 years, E. Stephen Rallis; sons and daughters-in-law, Vinny and Ellen Rallis, Kraig and Lisa Rallis, Kris and Amy Rallis; brother and sister-in-law, James and Ronnie Burton; grandsons, Chance Rallis (Nikki), Nick Rallis, Blake Rallis and Sam Rallis; a host of other family and friends.

Rosary recitation is 5:00 p.m. followed by visitation until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2020 at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial is 10:00 a.m. on Saturday August 8, 2020 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church - 1 Bluff Street in Council Bluffs. Interment is in Omaha National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Peter’s Catholic Church or St. Albert Schools. The family requests those attending any of the services to wear a mask and observe social distancing.